List of Famous people born in Connecticut, United States of America
Christine Leunens
Christine Leunens is a New Zealand-Belgian novelist. She is the author of Primordial Soup, Caging Skies, and A Can of Sunshine, which have been translated into over twenty languages. Caging Skies, the international bestselling novel about a child in the Hitler Youth, was the basis and inspiration for the award-winning film, Jojo Rabbit, by Taika Waititi, which won the Toronto International Film Festival's People Choice Award, and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Alexia Paganini
Alexia Paganini is a Swiss-American figure skater who currently represents Switzerland in ladies' singles. She is the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalist, the 2018 Halloween Cup champion, the 2017 Slovenia Open champion, and a three-time Swiss national champion (2017–2019).
George Smith
George Pearson Smith is an American biologist and Nobel laureate. He is a Curators' Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, US.
Joe Porcaro
Joe Porcaro was an American jazz drummer.
John Hirschbeck
John Francis Hirschbeck is a former umpire for Major League Baseball. He worked in the American League from 1984 to 1999 and worked in both leagues from 2000 to 2016. He was a crew chief at the time of his retirement, and wore uniform number 17 throughout his career. Hirschbeck announced his retirement following the 2016 season. In 2000, Hirschbeck was elected as the first president of the newly certified World Umpires Association, a position he held until 2009.
Brennan Ward
Brennan Ward is a retired American professional mixed martial artist who most recently competed for Bellator MMA. A professional competitor since 2008, Ward formerly competed for CES MMA and was the Bellator Season Nine Middleweight Tournament Winner.
Dan Orlovsky
Daniel John Cole Nyer Orlovsky is a football analyst for ESPN and former American football quarterback who was active for twelve seasons in the NFL. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Connecticut. Orlovsky also played for the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Rams.
William Close
William Taliaferro Close was an American surgeon who played a major role in stemming a 1976 outbreak of the Ebola virus in Zaire, the first major outbreak of the viral hemorrhagic fever in Central Africa, and preventing its further spread. He was also the father of actress Glenn Close and husband of Bettine Moore Close.
Jordan Pruitt
Jordan Pruitt Fuente is an American former singer-songwriter and producer living in Nashville, Tennessee. At age 13, after recording a demo EP with Keith Thomas in 2005, Pruitt was signed to Hollywood Records. She went on to tour with the likes of numerous other artists including Drake Bell, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, High School Musical, The Cheetah Girls, and Plain White T's. She is writing her first book, AA:Abused Anonymous, a 12-step self-help book for those who have been abused. She is hoping to publish the book in 2020. She is also working on a charitable initiative called "Safe Haven", a private group based in Nashville for those who have suffered from sexual abuse and assault.
Max Pacioretty
Maximillian Kolenda Pacioretty is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL).